RiceHigh's Pentax Blog: Famous German Magazine Rates K-5 IQ Worst Amongst Current "Top" DSLRs

Monday, November 22, 2010

Famous German Magazine Rates K-5 IQ Worst Amongst Current "Top" DSLRs

See this summary at their page in German (original) or English (machine-translated), via the DPR discussion thread here.

It is told that the excellent FA 43/1.9 Limited was used to do the test, but very unfortunately, the K-5 scores only 77.5% out of 100 for its IQ, which is the lowest amongst the Top 10 cameras.

So, I think there must be some good reasons behind, otherwise they won't put such a low score.

If you want to find out more, here is yet another first discussion at a large German forum, in German (original) or in English (machine-translated).

It seems that Pentax really has a hard-time to make a better upper model of DSLR even they are given a more advanced sensor! :-( Just very recently, we have just seen the IQ of the K-5 loses all in the shootout against the K-x with both the IR and DPR test images. Now, yet another famous magazine found and tells the same!

Oh, well, Pentax/Hoya, it's time for you to make a PRIME III, the PRIME II is just too old and dated! :-o Btw, still too mean to invest more? >:-x

Related:-

IQ and AF-C of the K-5 - I am Not Impressed! :-(

Comments (33)

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+2 Vote up Vote down

Toomas Kadarpik · 746 weeks ago

Rice, even K-x is better in your mind. I have been shooting with both of them and K-5 and K-x are totally different league. I have compared K-5 to K20,K-x both lack behind a lot in all ISO-s. Just buy Canon if you are so critical, I have compared K-5 also against canon with L lenses, there is nothing I should be worry about with K5. Sorry I have only dozen jpegs from the camera, and 100K RAW-s.

+8 Vote up Vote down

Michael · 746 weeks ago

Chip is a computer magazine, well known for its ridiculously bad Test when things come to DSLRs
There is no dedicated Testscenario for the K-5 listed anywhere on the page and amongst german readers test of this journal a poorly rated. Don't give a damn on that magazine, please!

+3 Vote up Vote down

Lurker · 746 weeks ago

How about posting your Pentax film photos and show us how Pentax digital cams is so backward compared to Pentax film cams? Or point me to a link if you already have posted it?

You always point how how your Pentax film bodies are better anyway, so how about a Pentax film vs digital shootout?

If that's not possible then why not just use Canon? Pentax glass envy? Then why not just buy Canon L lenses? Worrying they might change lens mount again? Then go Nikon. Why stay with Pentax? They have no body that satisfies you anyway. Pentax glass you say? Buy Canon L lenses...

+4 Vote up Vote down

Anu · 746 weeks ago

"So, I think there must be some good reasons behind, otherwise they won't put such a low score."

Yes there is a good reason. It is the same reason one gets random results if a cooking magazine reviews cameras.

-4 Vote up Vote down

Mock · 746 weeks ago

I got interested in Pentax when they released K-x. Boy, the high ISO pixs were superb, it knocked out all the known brands, I couldn't care much about the video capability, cause all I want is an affordable DSLR that can produce high quality images and I was about to invest in it. But things got a turn when I read some of the articles regarding Hoya's business directions, the K-x battery and the body issues, the K-r and K-5 review, the lack of proper marketing, and some ugly issues regarding Pentax customer support. If things were that bad out there, then what are the chance of getting good support if I were to invest in one. From where I come from (Malaysia), Pentax is not a house hold name. Guess I better go back and join the Canikon gang. At least I know they "exist" and well supported.

3 replies · active 746 weeks ago

+6 Vote up Vote down

Anu · 746 weeks ago

Damn, it looks like Nikon D3x has inferior image quality to for example Canon EOS 500D. If these results weren't given by this "famous german magazine", I would not believe it, but now I have seen the light. Thank you Rice for finding this Truth for us blind souls.

+7 Vote up Vote down

priyanthableeker 2p · 746 weeks ago

Nothing famous about the German Chip magazine.
It's well known for it's biased and not very firm tests.
It is just a magazine full of junk and bold statements about products.
They are financed(of course) by ads and they will always let the companies who sponsor them get a good review for their products.
It's just not a realistic magazine, and it's well known in Germany and countries around Germany, like The Netherlands(there is also a Dutch version of their crappy magazine).

+5 Vote up Vote down

Syam · 746 weeks ago

CHIP magazine? Right........

Trust a computer magazine to do a review of a camera? Right......... I don't even bother reading CHIP even for computer stuff

+20 Vote up Vote down

david · 746 weeks ago

Ok, that's it Rice, I am done with you. Removing your bookmark from my list, and will never read you after this post.

This post is the last straw for me. One that shows you have gone completely around the bend and that you are no longer a Pentax enthusiast, but a hater, pure and simple.

When telling us that DXO and other sites put up results of the Kr and K5, you merely state that they posted reviews or tests of the cameras, eventhough those results show awesome results by the cameras. But, when it comes to negative (even when it is not, just what you perceive as negative) you lead with that in your headline, and try to state that Pentax is inferior.

You hate Pentax, we all get that. You are likely holding on to your Pentax stuff because you think this gives you authority to rip on Pentax. Well guess what, I and your other readers will buy your Pentax-branded equipment so you can move into SOny and Canon. Just post what you want for it, and I am sure people will buy it. Then you can write a final blog post, stating how you are leaving Pentax and moving to another maker, and we all can move on. Heck we will help you get Rice High's Alpha Blog or RiceHigh's EoS blog......

Of course, if you do that, you would have to email me because your blog is on my no-read list as of now.....

2 replies · active less than 1 minute ago

+7 Vote up Vote down

Moritz Schwertner · 746 weeks ago

Rice, as I am from germany, I suggest that you'd better do your research as this ain't funny anymore. The Chip is released by the same publishing house as the even more famous "Bild" Magazine. Num nuts!

Those guys even said that the EOS 500D was in the same class as the K20D / K-7! And even YOU wouldn't agree on that, would you? Or are you now such a canon-maniac that you'd do? ;-)

Go out, shoot and stop caring about things you're never able to improve. Oh, and by the way, show us some of your pictures, will you?

Greetings,

Moritz Schwertner (the guy that send you the DA 18-135 Pics)
http://www.moritzschwertner.de

+4 Vote up Vote down

illdefined · 746 weeks ago

nevermind this: http://www.photographyblog.com/reviews/pentax_k5_...

they actually specialize in photography.

+4 Vote up Vote down

Ronny · 746 weeks ago

Great stuff, when visiting the site a pop-up appeared asking me to fill out an question form.
So I said yes and ...
Here's the first page
------------------------------------------------------------
To begin, we would like to know which of the following products you regularly use or buy?

Hair care products for women (eg shampoo, conditioner)
Decorative hair cosmetics for women (eg hair dye, hair gel)
Hair products for men (for example, shampoo, hair gel)
Facial care products for women (eg face cream)
Decorative Cosmetics for women (eg, lipstick, eye shadow, nail polish)
Face care cosmetics for men (eg aftershave, shaving, skin care cream)
...
------------------------------------------------------------
Now I'm REALLY IMPRESSED with this site.
And they also review camera's.

Rice I keep coming because you really make me laugh.

Oh yes, just got the K-5 and it's really great.

1 reply · active 746 weeks ago

+6 Vote up Vote down

jaad75 · 746 weeks ago

"Famous German Magazine" - what ignorant could write something like that?

1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago

+3 Vote up Vote down

Riverlim · 746 weeks ago

This is really funny!

+3 Vote up Vote down

smf · 746 weeks ago

CHIP once was really good, that was before they started their own sales dept. - what do you expect, that they will test unfavourably their own cash cows? BTW, the test results are there, but the test itself can't be found. That said, the IQ of any upper-middle class DSLR is more than enough for amateurs and "semipros" and the differences in handling/ergonomics, size and weight are (for me) much more interesting than everything else

+4 Vote up Vote down

thbo001 · 746 weeks ago

Chip ? their reputation is dubious. Buy a K-5 and make fotos :-) I'm highly pleased

+2 Vote up Vote down

Ray · 746 weeks ago

CHIP was a good computer magazine, every time i visited Europe a bought a copy. Yes, it was, today they have a too big opinion of themselves.... and of course, can not be taken seriously in photography.. I do respect www.photozone.de

+1 Vote up Vote down

Useless Crap · 746 weeks ago

Sensationalism at its finest, move along.

+2 Vote up Vote down

Wacko · 746 weeks ago

Famous magazine!!!!! ha ha this is a good joke... chip online is perhaps one of the least educated magazines in Germany, focused on the way´below´the -average reader market share. I´m really pissing in my pants

+3 Vote up Vote down

Neutralgrau · 746 weeks ago

Hey Rice... where are the smilies ? You can´t be serious in your article. Chip posted a test result without any proved pictures, they rolled just a few dices. Your Blog was pretty funny to read, but if you really believe in the Chip test result you are cancelled from my bookmarks, because your Reliability is even lower than a politician.

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Tom · 746 weeks ago

The only thing what the CHIP magazine is famous for is that there tests are crap and that they cater to the needs of their Canikon advertisers.

But let's just pretend CHIP made any sense. So it is true that the Pentax K-5 (rank #7) is better than the Canon 7D (rank #8), The Canon 1D MK III (rank #9) and the Nikon D700 (rank #10). It is also better than SONY full frame cameras (ranks #11 & #12). -> http://www.chip.de/bestenlisten/Bestenliste-DSLR-...

So there you have it RH. Isn't that worth some news? Well it would be if anything CHIP wrote was worth shit.

+2 Vote up Vote down

Chiman Choti · 746 weeks ago

Rice, it's good to be critical but you are going beyond a point to pin down Pentax and that is impacting your own credibility. I liked some of your articles and you have a valid point but this one sucks, what's famous about chip.de? what do they know about camera? Com'on, keep to your reputation instead of going to such a cheap level.

2 replies · active 746 weeks ago

0 Vote up Vote down

Brian · 746 weeks ago

Rice proves again that too much mesurbating can affect your eyesight. Utter bollocks.